Concession

Not the Coconut Kind

Macaroons from Jin in Venice. You can't go there and not have these for dessert. Even though there are some poetic flavors like yuzu, raspberry-rose, lavender, the nicest one is actually vanilla.

The Most Important Things Are In Parentheses

All 5 of us on one bed: P with Peaches on his lap; me with Stella to my right; Ramona at the end of the bed on the polka-dot blanket. Outside it's cold and windy and we're in here hiding, I mean hibernating, watching Shakira videos on tv. I'm in the middle of a good book (make that two good books) and I almost didn't leave the house today. Except for a late lunch around the corner (chicken schnitzel sandwich with cranberry sauce from Food + Lab), I could've stayed in pajamas all day long. (Jenny would've been proud.)

"I'm bored with knitting. I've taken up arson." from Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Can I Have Two Desserts?

Yesterday we rode the motorcycle out to the beach for a walk and to look for seaglass but P took an early exit towards the Tudor House , an old tea house in Santa Monica. It's been there (in different locations) since I was a child. Their house tea is Red Rose. I love that stuff.

It used to be that I'd always order a Caerphilly cheese sandwich and a scone for dessert. But now my horizons have broadened and I have had a spinach-cheese pie the last two times I've visited. It's gorgeous comfort food (even if they do microwave it).

For dessert, I am in love with their cream slice, which is one of the best Napoleons I've had outside of say Vienna or Budapest. And what they were out of, the chocolate mousse tart, I'll have to have (again) on my next excursion.

Two desserts, just like my mother taught me.